HARDY ORNAMENTAL TREES AND SHRUBS. 



289 



also double -flowered varieties of different shades. South 

 Europe, &c, 1538. 



A. nana. — A dwarf shrub from 2 to 4 feet high, with 

 rose-pink flowers appearing in March or April. There 

 are several varieties. A dry warm soil suits them best. 

 Southern Russia, 1683. 



A. orientalis. — A taller growing species than A. nana, 

 remarkable for the silvery tomentum of its foliage; 

 flowers rose-coloured. March and April. Asia Minor, 

 1756. 



Andromeda. — A considerable number of shrubs, widely 

 different in habit and flowers, are cultivated in gardens 

 under the name of Andromeda, but following the most 

 recent arrangement of the genera of the Ericacece, we 

 have only one commonly-grown species to mention here. 

 The others will be found under the genera Cassandra, 

 Cassiope, Leucothoc, Lyonia, Oxydendron, Pieris, and 

 Zenobia. 



A. polifolia. — A dwarf indigenous evergreen shrub, 

 with narrow shining leaves, glaucous beneath, and small 

 globose white or pink flowers in terminal clusters, pro- 

 duced all the summer. It varies considerably in the shape 

 of the leaves and size of the flowers, and names have 

 been given to some of the more distinct American forms, 

 as rosmarinifolia, rubra, canadensis, angustifolia, &c. 



Aralia. — Prickly shrubs of ornamental aspect, with 

 tall, slender stems and very large much-divided leaves, 

 and a branching inflorescence of small, yellowish or green- 

 ish-white flowers. Light moist soil. 



A. chinensis {Dimorphanthus mandshuricus) (fig. 350). 

 — An effective plant, with simple stems, very large bi- 

 pinnate leaves, the stalks usually very prickly, and large 



Fig. 350.— Aralia chinensis. 



racemes of whitish flowers succeeded by black berries. 

 Northern China, 1865. 



A. Maxirnowiczii. — A distinct shrub with an erect 

 prickly stem and palmate 5-7-lobed leaves. Japan, 1874. 



A. spinosa, Angelica Tree. — A shrub with stout simple 

 stems, and very large, tripinnate leaves. It has a distinct 

 and noble appearance. Virginia, 1688. 



Arbutus. — There are only three species of Arbutus 

 that may be termed hardy in Britain, although numerous 

 specific names have been given to hybrids and varieties 

 of these. They are handsome small trees or shrubs with 

 globular or bell-shaped flowers and thick, deep -green 

 leaves. The bark of the stem peels off after the manner 

 of the Plane-tree. In the colder parts of the country all 

 the species except A. Unedo and its varieties need pro- 

 Vot, T 



tection, and in any locality the most sheltered positions 

 should be given them. They prefer a peaty soil and love 

 abundant moisture. 



A. Andrachne. — This has smooth shining leaves nearly 

 as large as those of the common Laurel, erect panicles of 

 greenish-white flowers, and a smooth scarlet fruit, rarely 

 perfected in this country. Mediterranean region, 1 724. 



A. hybrida,. — One of the earliest of the hybrid forms 

 grown in gardens. It is intermediate in character between 

 the preceding and A. Unedo, having drooping panicles of 

 dull -white flowers, and is a very ornamental shrub, but 

 rarely ripens its fruit. 



A. Menziesii (A. procera). — This has large leaves and 

 ample terminal panicles of greenish -white flowers, pro- 

 duced in April. It is not quite so hardy as A. Unedo, 

 but is much more beautiful. North America, 1825. 



A. Unedo, Strawberry Tree. — An exceedingly ornamental 

 shrub or tree, especially when laden with its scarlet muri- 

 cated fruits. The flowers vary from white to red. It 

 is a native of the south of Ireland, and has long been in 

 cultivation. 



Arctostaphylos alpinus. — A trailing deciduous shrub, 

 with racemes of small pure white flowers, produced in 

 May or June. Its black berries are rarely seen on culti- 

 vated plants. Requires a cool, airy, half -shaded situation. 

 A. Uva-ursi is a freer-growing evergreen species, with red 

 berries. Both are British. 



Aristolochia. — Twining shrubs, with large heart- 

 shaped leaves, and curiously-shaped, usually dull-coloured 

 flowers. Besides the species mentioned below, there are 

 several others in cultivation, but all the hardy or half- 

 hardy ones are more curious than beautiful. 



A. Sipho, Dutchman's Pipe. — This is worth growing 

 for its ample ornamental heart-shaped foliage. The 

 tubular curved flowers are constricted at the mouth and 

 have a spreading three-lobed limb, their colour being dull- 

 yellow streaked with purple ; they appear in May or June, 

 but being of a dull colour, and produced in the axils of 

 the leaves, they are easily overlooked. North America, 

 1763. Succeeds best in a light soil and warm situation. 



A. tomentosa. — Similar to A. Sipho in habit, but the 

 flowers are purple and yellow and much more deeply 

 lobed. Leaves downy beneath. North America. 



Aristotelia Macqui. — A shrub growing to a height 

 of 10 feet or more. It has simple three-nerved leaves, 

 and small axillary purple and yellow flowers, succeeded 

 by dark-purple berries. Chili, 1733. Too tender for the 

 colder parts of the kingdom, and usually requiring a wall. 

 There is a handsome variety with variegated leaves. 



Artemisia Abrotanum, Southernwood. This familiar 

 shrub has its fragrant foliage finely divided into narrow 

 segments. The small yellowish flowers are not very 

 ornamental. Widely distributed in Europe and Asia. 

 1596. The variety tobolsl'iana is larger in all its parts 

 than the common form. 



Arundinaria. A genus of Bamboos, distinguished 

 from Phyllostachys by their straight, terete stems, semi- 

 verticillate branching, and by the branches developing 

 either simultaneously up the stem or from the top down- 

 wards. It includes some of the most beautiful and 

 graceful of hardy Bamboos. For culture see Bambusa. 



A. anceps. — Steins slender, erect, about 8 feet high, 

 bearing abundant deep-green leaves. A perfectly hardy 

 species, which spreads rapidly by means of its rhizomes. 

 N. India. 



A. auricoma {Bambusa Fortune i aurea). — Stems 3 to 4 

 feet high ; leaves about 6 inches long, handsomely striped 

 with yellow. Japan. 



19 



